Four Irish people, including two bishops, have been chosen to participate in the first session of the Universal Synod in Rome, which runs from October 4-29. Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick and Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ of Raphoe were included in the list of participants published by the Holy See on July 7. In addition,…
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has vowed to implement so-called ‘safe access zones’ around abortion providers that would see churches limited in their ability to display pro-life messaging on their own grounds. Addressing the Dáil on July 5, Minister Donnelly said that his Bill would ensure protections for sermons that would be given in churches…
Pakistani Christians have called for prayers during a “dangerous” period following the burning of the Islamic holy book, the Koran, in Sweden. An Iraqi-born refugee burned a Koran outside a mosque in the capital, Stockholm, on the first day of Eid al-Adha, which sparked protest in many Muslim-majority countries across the world. Speaking to The…
Three Irish missionaries were recognised for the humanitarian assistance they provided to the people of Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship in the 1970s and ‘80s. At the invitation of Ambassador of Chile Ricardo Hernández, President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins attended the ceremony in recognition of Fr Brendan Forde, Fr Desmond McGillicuddy and Fr Liam…
A Donegal-based priest has claimed to have experienced a Eucharistic miracle during a Mass he was celebrating. Fr Philip Kemmy PP of Newtowncunningham and Killea in the Diocese of Raphoe said that a host seemed to appear in a ciborium he had just emptied while he was returning hosts to the tabernacle. “Just as I…
Minister Simon Harris has thanked the Ursuline sisters for gifting St Angela’s College, Sligo, to the State, as he formally signed off on its incorporation with the Atlantic Technological University (ATU). The Minister for Further and Higher Education signed the statutory order to allow St Angela’s to become part of the ATU on July 6.…
Newry council is “not listening” to parishioners’ worries and concerns over plans to build offices and a theatre behind the town’s cathedral. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s plans to build a multi-million pound office block and “civic hub” would reduce parking at Newry Cathedral “dramatically”, the church’s administrator Canon Francis Brown told The Irish…
Judge dismisses Texas monastery’s lawsuit against Fort Worth bishop A Texas judge has dismissed a Carmelite monastery’s civil lawsuit against Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson. Without comment, Tarrant County District Court Judge Don Cosby, presiding from Fort Worth, issued a ruling June 30 granting the Fort Worth Diocese’s motion to dismiss the monastery’s complaint, which…
Ireland has once again been overlooked by Pope Francis as no Irish prelate was tipped to become a cardinal. The Pope announced over the weekend that he will hold a consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals at the end of September, saying the choices express “the universality of the Church”. There are currently…
Vatican publishes schedule for papal trip to Mongolia Pope Francis’ visit to Mongolia August 31-September 4 will make him the first pope to visit this Asian nation, which is home to one cardinal and some 1,300 Catholics. The focus of the visit will be encounters with leaders of government and civil society and meetings with…
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones